Save the Last Dance
by Jaretha
Summary: Inu Yasha gets blown off by Kagome, who goes to a dance with Hojo instead of him! What? Hojo's a demon!
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, Takahashi Rumiko does. I do not own the song I Swear, All-4-One does. *eyes them both greedily*  
  
Chapter One: Melancholy  
  
Kagome sighed as she leaned back against the Gods Tree in her back yard. She picked at a piece of fluff on her skirt then leaned back to stare at the bare imprint burned into the tree above her head. Inuyasha had been pinned there centuries ago by that witch Kikyo, and then later by her reincarnation, whom Kagome now knew was herself.  
  
It had been almost a year since the quest to reform the Shikon Jewel had begun. Despite their greatest efforts to flunk her, Kagome had gotten into one of the top high schools and was even now preparing for one of the most important moments in her high school life.  
  
She grimaced as she imagined Inuyasha's reaction to her news. 'I've got to be home in two days', she'd tell him. And then of course he would gripe and moan and complain. Then he would try to physically restrain her and she would have to "sit" him and then she'd leave crying.  
  
Kagome clenched her fist tightly in anger. Why should she put up with this? She was a grown woman for heaven's sake! She shouldn't have to put up with an arrogant, pushy, loud, overbearing, wonderful.  
  
"Kagome?" her mother asked as she approached her daughter tentatively.  
  
The girl started, and then smiled at her mother. "Sorry, Mama, I was daydreaming."  
  
"About that cute friend of yours?" she asked teasingly, a small grin on her lips. Kagome grimaced again as she stood and brushed the leaves from her skirt. "I have no cute friends, Mama," she scoffed. "Is something wrong? I need to get ready to leave for the past again."  
  
"I picked up your dry cleaning this morning, Kagome. Would you like to see?"  
  
Kagome's anger and frustration at a certain dog-eared hanyou vanished as her smile lit up. "Of course!! Let's go, let's go!!"  
  
She grabbed her mother by the arm and practically dragged her, laughing, into the house and up to Kagome's room. There she made a beeline for a plastic garment bag hanging on her closet.  
  
Kagome's mother smiled softly as Kagome lifted the plastic and fingered the silk material inside. 'She's growing up far too fast for me,' she mused. She giggled a little as Kagome removed a blue silk ball gown from the garment bag and held it up to herself. 'Then again, maybe she's just right'.  
  
Kagome held the gown up her to body and pantomimed dancing across the floor with some invisible stranger. Her face was beauteous as she twirled and jumped, her cheeks rosy and her eyes flashing.  
  
Suddenly she stopped and glanced towards the window, her eyes narrowing. "Kagome? Is something wrong?" her mother asked as her daughter stalked towards the closed window.  
  
Kagome peered hard out the window and saw nothing but softly blowing snow flakes in the cool afternoon air. She shrugged and turned back around to grin at her mother. "No, Mama, nothing at all. Would you please watch this for me until Friday?"  
  
Her mother nodded and hugged her daughter as she ran past to grab her huge yellow backpack. She watched out the window as Kagome ran around to the front of the house to bid her grandfather and brother farewell and blinked twice as she caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned quickly just in time to see a flash of red and white disappear into the well shrine.  
  
Kagome's mother grinned secretly as she moved to hang up the ball gown on the hanger again.  
  
~~~End of Chapter One~~~  
  
~~ I hope you all like my beginning. Don't worry; our favorite hanyou will be in the next chapter, but only if I GET 10 REVIEWS FOR THIS CHAPTER!!!! ONLY THEN WILL I UPDATE!!! ~~ 


	2. Chapter Two

~~ Once again, I do not own Inu Yasha or any of its characters *Hides secret plans to kidnap Inu Yasha* ~~  
  
~~Chapter Two~~  
  
"Kagome!"  
  
Kagome laughed as Shippo leapt into her arms. Shippo always seemed so happy whenever Kagome came back to the Feudal Era. Unlike a certain spoiled little hanyou she could think of.  
  
Pushing the exasperated thoughts from her head she turned and smiled at Sango and Miroku, who were leaning against a tree near the well. Sango's pet and best friend, Kirara, dozed in her kitten form in Sango's lap, purring as Sango stroked her head. Miroku was quite happily half-sleeping half-meditating in the shade of the tree.  
  
She returned their waves and smiles as she headed over to them, Shippo clinging to her back. "Hey, everyone," she greeted them warmly.  
  
The pair smiled back at her and started to gather their things. Kagome bent to help fold up several pads and blankets and suddenly glanced around, her eyes narrowing. 'A demon already?' she thought. 'Where's Inu Yasha?'  
  
Sango and Miroku both tensed and reached for their weapons when suddenly a blast of wind heralded the arrival of Kouga, leader of the Wolf Clan. He grinned arrogantly at Kagome and embraced her warmly.  
  
"Hello, Kagome" he whispered in her ear.  
  
Kagome eyebrow twitched as her fist clenched to push him away. She tried pushing a little, and then suddenly a deep voice growled from behind Kouga.  
  
"Get away from her, Wolf-boy."  
  
Kouga hardly even tensed as he turned to glare at Inu Yasha, who was standing just behind the tree that Sango and Miroku had been leaning against. He surveyed the dog hanyou with a haughty eye until he perceived the aura flowing around Inu Yasha. The scathing remark he had readied to throw died in his throat. 'I wonder what his problem is,' he mused to himself. 'He's not normally this angry. and I sense some kind of deep resentment in him that isn't directed at me. Something's wrong with the Dog Boy.'  
  
Remarkably, Kouga released Kagome without a fight and smiled at her. "I will have to see you another time, my dear," he said to Kagome, gripping her hand. "The stench has suddenly become unbearable."  
  
Kagome blinked at him as he saluted and ran off, the Shikon Jewel shards in his legs carrying him miles away in seconds. She turned to Inu Yasha, puzzled at this sudden reaction from Kouga, and Inu Yasha's strange nature. Sango and Miroku shrugged and continued packing up their belongings as Shippo glanced from Kagome to Inu Yasha worriedly.  
  
Kagome smiled reassuringly at Shippo as she moved closer to Inu Yasha. He turned away from her, leaning against the tree and crossing his arms. Kagome stood beside him, staring out at the forest. She knew that now would be the best time to tell him about her upcoming departure. 'Ooo, I don't want to tell him,' she thought. 'He's going to get mad at me. But I already made the plans! Oh, well, here goes nothing.'  
  
"Inu Yasha?" she asked tentatively.  
  
The white-haired hanyou "hmphed" in reply.  
  
"I have to go back home in two days."  
  
Kagome braced herself for the impending yelling, but none happened. Inu Yasha simply raised his head and looked at her strangely. "Why?" he asked.  
  
Kagome blinked and stepped back a step. What was wrong with him? "I-I have a dance to go to," she replied, stammering because he had caught her off guard.  
  
"Do you really have to?" he asked softly.  
  
"Yes," she said, getting a little angry now. "I already have a date, and I won't stand poor Hojo up again just because you want me to find shards for you!"  
  
Inu Yasha didn't reply, but moved over to the well and looked down it. Kagome waved her friends back as she followed him, puzzled. Inu Yasha's voice was soft and pained.  
  
"Are you going to wear that blue dress?" he asked.  
  
"Of course I am, that's why I. wait a minute, how did you know my dress was blue?!" she cried indignantly.  
  
"I saw you dancing in your room," he said. "You looked. happy."  
  
Kagome sat down on the well next to Inu Yasha, looking at her feet. "I was happy," she explained. "Hojo's such a good guy and I'm really looking forward to it."  
  
Inu Yasha growled suddenly, his claws tightening on the wooden border of the well. The wood splintered and cracked under his hands and Kagome leapt up, frightened. Inu Yasha ceased immediately at her movement, turning to stare at her with wounded eyes. "Did you even think to invite me to your "dance"," he demanded harshly.  
  
Kagome blinked a few times. "Why would I? I didn't think you were interested in those sorts of things."  
  
Inu Yasha narrowed his eyes at her. "Do what you like. You always will anyway, no matter what I feel."  
  
Kagome stared at him, shocked, as he jumped away into the trees. Shippo toddled over and touched her leg gently. "Kagome?" he asked softly.  
  
Kagome shook herself a little and bent to pick up the little fox. As she walked back to Sango and Miroku, she couldn't help but glance back behind her to see if Inu Yasha was following her.  
  
Only the trees and breeze. no Inu Yasha.  
  
~~ WHOA, that was long. but it only took me twenty minutes to write. I apologize in advance for the sort of cliff hanger for this chapter, but I promise that all will be explained in the next two chapters.  
  
~~ Special Thanks to Mousie, Pheonix Daimon, and Roonz for your wonderful reviews!!  
  
~~ I want reviews!!!! Tell me what you think and give me suggestions!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
~~ Oh, and this time I MUST have ten reviews to update. 


	3. Chapter Three

~~Inu Yasha, despite my many efforts and traps, still does not belong to me. But soon. soon he shall be mine. I shall call him Inu and he shall be mine. And I shall call him Inu.~~  
  
~~Stupid Stupid stupid Fanfiction.net.. downloaded the text wrong. Let's hope this version is easier to read. Sorry everyone!!~~  
  
Chapter Three Inu Yasha's True Feelings  
  
Inu Yasha stopped running as he realized he had circled back into the clearing where the old well lay. He stared at it, amazed at how he had managed to become turned around so much. He wanted to run AWAY from this place, not back to it. The last thing he wanted was to be anywhere that reminded him of that brat from the future.  
  
He took a deep breath and immediately regretted it. Along with fresh air came the sweet scent of Kagome. He closed his eyes for a moment and luxuriated in the way her scent always smelled like wildflowers. Kagome had mentioned something called 'shampoo" once, and claimed that girls from her world rubbed the stuff in their hair. Inu Yasha had always wondered what kind of animal droppings smelled like flowers, but had been too embarrassed to ask.  
  
His feral golden eyes opened into tiny slits as he strolled absently over to the well, staring down at it. 'Stupid girl' he mused. 'Doesn't even think about others. She's only concerned about herself! She didn't even think that me and the others would want to be part of her ritual.. damn, what did she call it? Oh, yes, her dance. Stupid stupid stupid girl!'  
  
The hanyou growled again and plopped to the grass to lean back against the well. His usual arrogant face crumpled slightly as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the rough wood of the well. He smiled slightly as he saw Kagome in her pretty blue dress, blue cornflowers rolled into her soft hair. She grinned at him, and held out her hand.  
  
"Stupid Dog-boy, thinking dirty thoughts?"  
  
Inu Yasha's eyes snapped open to glare at Kouga. Kouga smirked at him, his hands on his hips. "What the matter with you," Inu Yasha demanded. "Leave me alone for once!"  
  
Kouga laughed. "When something concerns my woman, I can't leave it alone. You should know that by now, Dog-boy."  
  
"Rrrrrrrr," Inu Yasha growled. "She's not your woman. She's."  
  
"Yes?" Kouga goaded, smiling. "She's what?"  
  
Inu Yasha "hmphed" and looked away. "Nothing. She's nothing at all to me."  
  
Kouga shook his head. "Are you really that much of an idiot?" he demanded, hitting himself in the forehead with the palm of his hand.  
  
Inu Yasha leaped to his feet, rage prompting him to draw his sword and brandish it at the wolf demon. "What's that supposed to mean?" he yelled.  
  
Kouga smirked again and turned away from the snarling hanyou. He spoke without turning. "If you can't even protect her while she's in this world, who's going to protect her in hers?" he asked. "You can protect her body, for sure, at least as well as a stupid dog-boy can, but you can't protect her feelings. And why would she ever want to go to her special ritual with you? All you ever do is curse at her and call her stupid. Why should she even consider it?"  
  
"Because she belongs with me!" Inu Yasha yelled before he could stop himself. "She belongs."  
  
He stopped suddenly, his face reddening with horror at what he had just revealed. He lowered the Tetsusaiga in defeat and stared at the ground. Kouga sighed and glanced over his shoulder at him. "Like I would ever actually admit to someone that I had heard that," he assured Inu Yasha. "If I ever told Kagome, it would just cause her pain, and I won't do that."  
  
Inu Yasha stared at Kouga in shock as the wolf demon saluted and ran off, the wind carrying him farther away than Inu Yasha could scent in a matter of seconds. He sat back down against the wall of the well and covered his face with his hands.  
  
Kagome found him there later that night when she went looking for him. He had fallen asleep, resting the Tetsusaiga against his shoulder. She smiled softly and leaned against the opposite side of the well, sipping from a cup of instant ramen as she waited for him to wake up.  
  
Inu Yasha had been awake the moment she entered the clearing. He smiled slightly and raised his head. "Aren't you going to offer me some?" he asked chidingly.  
  
Kagome grinned and leaped up, hurrying around to his side of the well, carrying the cup of instant ramen. "Look, Inu Yasha, I brought you some ramen! Now you can stop being mad at me, right?"  
  
Inu Yasha narrowed his eyes at the half-empty cup, and then glanced up at her. Her face turned red as she noticed that she had eaten half of the ramen. Her embarrassment quickly turned to anger as she cried, "Well, if you hadn't run off, I wouldn't have gotten so hungry looking for you!"  
  
Inu Yasha shook his head and took the cup of ramen from her. "I don't want to fight, Kagome," he began, sipping the ramen. "I wanted to apologize for being so mean about your dance."  
  
Kagome stared at him for a moment and then looked off into the woods at he continued. "I guess I was just hurt that you wouldn't want to ask me to come with you. but you can go."  
  
"Maybe I will," she said haughtily, squaring her shoulders.  
  
Her shoulders shook slightly from the cold breeze that suddenly appeared. She shook even harder as Inu Yasha continued. "That Hojo boy. really seems to like you. I'm sure he'll take good care of you. He can protect you in your world. I can't. He won't get you mixed up with demons and monsters and make you sleep outside. Maybe its better. for you." his voice broke slightly, "if you just stayed in your world from now on."  
  
Kagome froze, shocked at what she was hearing. She started only when his warm red outer robe closed around her shoulders. Inu Yasha whispered softly in her ear, "Just promise not to forget about me."  
  
Kagome turned back to face him, a retort on her lips, but her eyes met only empty air and his retreating form fading into the trees. Suddenly, rain began to fall spattering her cheeks and mixing with the tears that ran down her face.  
  
~Whew!! Hope that answered everyone's questions. I'm STILL waiting on my reviews, people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I want reviews not only on the story itself, but hopefully some technical things. If you truly hate this story, I want to know. Flames are not welcome, but if you simply must, then you must.~  
  
~Yet, I decided for my few dedicated readers that I'd better update before I forget my totally cool ending~  
  
~This is not the end, I promise. Please submit all questions in the form of a review.~  
  
~And finally, SPECIAL THANKS TO ASH-CHAN AND MARA KRAUS FOR YOUR WONDERFUL REVIEWS!!~ 


	4. Chapter Four

~~*glowers at the next person that asks her if she owns Inu Yasha* Stupid hanyou keeps finding all my traps and pitfalls!~~  
  
~~Also, I do not own the song "I Swear". All-4-One does.~~  
  
Chapter Four Kagome's Decision  
  
"Claws of steel!" Inu Yasha cried as he lashed out at the centipede demon. The demon shrieked as the claws dug into its back, ripping flesh and sinew.  
  
"Where's the shard, girl?" Inu Yasha yelled, exasperated.  
  
Kagome glared at him, then yelled back, "In the middle of its forehead! Right above the eyebrow!"  
  
Sango threw her huge boomerang, landing a stunning blow right in the creature's jaw, sending it flying across the clearing into a tree. Inu Yasha quickly followed it, splitting it in twain with his Tetsusaiga. He bent quickly to retrieve the shard, and, smirking, tossed it to Kagome.  
  
Shippo jumped up onto Kagome's shoulder and commenced his routine whining. "Kagome, how come you have to leave so early? Don't you like us anymore?"  
  
Kagome shook her head and patted the little kitsune. "Of course I do, but I've got a. friend waiting for me in my world and we're going somewhere special."  
  
"Special, eh?" Miroku asked, coming up behind them, smiling. "Ah, the magic nights of romance when two young people can love and be loved together.ouch! Sango, do you have to hit so hard?!"  
  
Sango glared at the monk as she moved over beside Kagome. "Be sure to bring us one of those "pick-tures" when you come back, all right?"  
  
Kagome nodded and hugged the girl and kitsune. She glanced behind her at Inu Yasha, but he was already running off somewhere. "Probably off to find another demon," she thought. "Or Kikyo."  
  
She shook her head and headed for the Bone Eater's Well. Her friends followed her, bidding her farewell and hurry back as she jumped into the well and back into her own time. "Time to get ready for the dance," she said happily as she climbed out and ran for her house.  
  
"Higurashi, you look amazing," Hojo said, smiling at her as she came into the front room.  
  
Kagome blushed and looked down at herself. The blue ball gown was the color of the sky on a cloudless day, made of shimmering silk and taffeta. The underskirt was a solid blue, while a sheer overskirt was a silver blue, making the dress shimmer when she moved. A wide ribbon of the same material wound around her waist and tied in a flowing bow at her back, the tails of which cascaded down to her hemline. She fingered her Shikon Jewel necklace nervously as Hojo pinned a white flower onto her wide strap sleeves.  
  
They climbed into Hojo's mother's car and headed for the dance hall. All the way there, Kagome fidgeted, playing with her necklace and flowers. Hojo made polite conversation, talking about everything from school to how lovely the stars looked with no moon to hide them. Kagome smiled at him a few times, but otherwise was silent,  
  
Hojo's mother dropped them off at the dance hall and Hojo handed her a white mask. She blinked at him, confused. "It's a masked ball, Higurashi," he explained as he tied a black mask over his eyes. The black velvet matched the black of his tuxedo and showed off his blue eyes.  
  
The dance flowed on as any other dance would. Kagome friends mobbed her as soon as she arrived, throwing questions back and forth about why Kagome was here with Hojo and how her "abusive, loud boyfriend" was. She answered and dodged their questions like a pro, often turning the conversation over to what the latest gossip was.  
  
She danced the first slow dance with Hojo, enjoying the feel of his arms and the movements of the dance. However, Hojo's attention seemed to be focused elsewhere. Kagome paid little attention to that fact, knowing how spacey Hojo always was.  
  
However, as the dance wore on and her friends occupied themselves with their dates, Kagome found herself standing alone beside the dance floor. Hojo was dancing with another girl Kagome couldn't recognize because of her mask. She sighed and sat down on one of the chairs lining the walls, her chin in her hands, watching Hojo dance.  
  
She wasn't surprised when Hojo and the girl vanished out the front door. Her friends didn't approach her, which she thought was strange, but she reasoned that they had either heard it, or just assumed that Hojo wasn't interested in her anymore. She stood, wiping tears from her eyes and was about to leave when a boy appeared at her elbow and asked her to dance.  
  
She glanced up at him and saw that his face was covered in another generic black mask. She shook her head and offered a slight smile of apology as she moved towards the door. Leaning against the door for a moment, she pushed it open and took a step outside. Behind her, she could hear the first words of the song "I Swear" by All-4-One begin to drift through the speakers. She had always loved this song, and had often fantacised about dancing to it.  
  
Kagome jumped slightly when someone took her hand and pulled her back inside. She stared up at the boy, realizing that it was the same one she had just turned down. He smiled at her and tugged her insistently onto the dance floor. She followed, not exactly knowing why, and didn't even protest when he pulled her hard against his body, swaying gently to the music.  
  
I swear by the the moon  
And the stars in the sky  
And i swear like the  
Shadow that's by your side  
  
I see the questions in your eyes  
I know what's waiting on your mind  
You can be sure i know my part  
'cause i stand beside you through the years  
You'll only cry those happy tears  
and though i make mistakes  
i'll never break your heart  
  
And i swear by the moon  
And the stars in the sky i'll be there  
I swear like the shadow that's by your side  
I'll be there for better or worse  
till death do us part  
I'll love you with every beat of my heart  
And i swear.  
  
Kagome laid her head against the boy's shoulder, and he swept his black, waist length hair out of her way. Silent tears trailed down her cheeks as the boy held her close, breathing softly in her ear and stroking her back.  
  
The song ended all too quickly and the DJ proclaimed the dance over. "Unmask your partners!" he yelled over the microphone.  
  
All around her, Kagome could hear the excited squeals and horrified cries of girls who were found dancing with unknown or unwanted partners. Kagome's partner smiled at her softly and reached behind her head, drawing the white mask off of her face.  
  
Kagome returned the slight smile and stood on her toes to reach behind his head to his mask strings. Without any warning at all the boy's arms closed around her and he pressed his lips against hers in a smoldering kiss.  
  
Kagome's eyes flew open as she realized that she was being kissed. 'M-my first kiss!' her mind screamed at her. She enjoyed it for a moment, and then pushed the boy gently away. The mask fell from his face and Kagome gasped, her hand flying up to cover her mouth in shock.  
  
Inu Yasha's yellow eyes locked onto hers as he stood there in his black tuxedo. He took a deep breath and pulled her back into his arms. "I know I said I couldn't protect you here," he whispered softly in her ear, arms closing around her back. "But I couldn't stop myself. Your mother gave me this "tux-eat-o thing and told me to follow you, but not to interfere. When I saw that Hobo freak just leave you here, I didn't know what to do."  
  
Kagome's body was completely rigid in his arms, but she didn't stop him so he continued, his voice getting slightly frantic. "I just wanted to dance with you once," he whispered finally. "I just wanted you to be with me, away from all the monsters and the quests and the people. I wanted to make sure nothing could hurt you here! I just."  
  
"Inu Yasha?" Kagome whispered, her arms moving up to close around his shoulders.  
  
Inu Yasha looked down into her eyes and saw that she was smiling again. She hugged him close and kissed his mouth softly. "Thank you for rescuing me. How can I ever repay you?"  
  
The hanyou grinned and nodded at the DJ, who was standing there, smiling. Inu Yasha pulled Kagome onto the now empty dance floor and kissed her one final time before whispering, "Dance with me."  
  
~~And that is all. Did you like it??!!! I want reviews!!! Maybe if I get good reviews on this story, I can get more ideas and write more stuff!!~~  
  
~~Thanks to maegan and kitty for your reviews!!~~ 


	5. Chaper Five

~~I told you this story wasn't finished yet!!!! Hahahahahahhahahahahah!!!! I do not own Inu Yasha.~~  
  
~**************~  
  
After the night of dancing, Inu Yasha had slept by Kagome's bed, leaning up against it. He had done this many times before, watching and guarding while she slept. Last night, however, had been spent stroking Kagome's hand, which was curled protectively in his shirt.  
  
The following morning, Kagome and Inu Yasha walked happily down the crowded streets of Tokyo. Inu Yasha was clad in a pair of loose black workout pants, a black t-shirt, and black sandals. He had refused to shove his clawed feet into a pair on sneakers, claiming that he couldn't grip anything with his toes. He finally succumbed to the demands of Kagome and her mother, putting on the "sand-ales", which to him resembled something Kikyo or some other priestess would wear. He also, after much growling, accepted a black bandana to tie around his ears. His long silver hair he simply left flowing loose and wild. His ceremonial bead necklace was still around his neck, but since it was the style to be wearing phooka beads nowadays, he didn't look out of place. Tetsusaiga was tied around his waist. Kagome and her mother had tried to make him leave it at home, but to no avail. Finally, they decided that he would say he was on his way to a school play after shopping, and was wearing the sword as a costume.  
  
Many girls stared after him, their jaws either on the floor or hidden behind whispering hands. Kagome sent many of them scurrying away with a patented glare. Inu Yasha was happy to see that this glare was not, for once, directed at him. He found himself having trouble keeping his eyes off of KAGOME. She was dressed in a light purple sundress that fell just above her knees. It was decorated all over with flowers that sparkled when she moved. What amazed him most, however, was that it was held up only by tiny strings attached to the front and back of the dress! He wondered how such tiny things could keep a garment on, but he wisely hadn't asked.  
  
Inu Yasha smiled down at her suddenly, remembering how much fun he had had the night before. He had been delighted that she'd asked him to sleep over, and was shocked to his toes when her mother had asked him to accompany Kagome to the department stores as she went shopping today. Inu Yasha's ears had pricked up at the suggestion, and he duly noted the anxious look in the older woman's eyes.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked her, pulling her into the kitchen. "You asked me to watch over her at the dance, and all last night, and now again today. What is wrong?"  
  
Kagome mother had turned slightly away from him, leaning against the kitchen counter. She brushed back her hair nervously, and then smiled slightly. "You're going to think I'm crazy," she said, blushing, "but I just don't want Kagome wandering around alone today. I feel like something bad is going to happen."  
  
Inu Yasha had stared at her for a moment, then smirked and said "Feh," as Kagome called him from the front room and said she was ready to leave.  
  
And now he was trying not to embarrass her by jumping at every little sound. Sure, he was scared of nothing, but when it came to giant metal buildings and more people than he knew how to count, and huge, loud, evil demons tearing down the street and making strange honking noises, Inu Yasha wasn't ashamed at all to cling to Kagome's arm, which was safely wrapped around his.  
  
Kagome was chattering on and on about what a great time she had had the night before, and how angry she was that Hojo had ditched her. Inu Yasha was hard pressed not to burst out laughing at her endless prattle. 'Does this girl ever shut up?' he asked himself, bemused.  
  
Kagome pulled him in and out of several stores, asking him to give his opinions on several pieces of colorful clothing. His eyes nearly fell out of his head when she modeled something called a "halter top". He had leaped up and covered her with a spare jacket that was lying on a shelf, much to her embarrassment. However, she had laughed and agreed not to ever wear such a shirt ever again.  
  
After about three hours of shopping, Inu Yasha's feet were beginning to ache. These strange, hard, black roads were much harder to walk on than dirt and grass, and these shoes were killing him! In addition, he was being forced to carry what seemed like dozens of colorful paper bags, all filled with clothes and food for Kagome. Inu Yasha's eyes scanned the horizon for some place to rest, and then smiled as he spied a small park.  
  
He tugged on Kagome's hand, motioning towards the park with his head. "Kagome, can we go rest for a few minutes?" he begged.  
  
Kagome smiled, noticing how strained he was getting. 'He's not used to this world at all', she thought to herself as she nodded to him.  
  
Inu Yasha smiled happily and made a beeline for the small park. Tossing all the bags into a neat pile on the grass, he happily kicked off his shoes and wriggled his toes in the cool grass. Kagome smiled slightly, watching him enjoy himself. She sat down beside him, her knees curled to the side. Kagome pulled out her purse and handed Inu Yasha a few hundred yen, asking him to run to a vendor down the path and buy them some ice cream cones. He had smiled at her obligingly, vaguely wondering what "iced cream" was. Then he remembered seeing some cone shaped cookies that were being eaten by Kagome's family one night. Each had been filled with a colorful paste of come sort, and apparently they enjoyed it.  
  
Inu Yasha took off, leaving his bare sandals behind. He moved much more gracefully without them, and caused both girls and women to stare after him. Kagome giggled slightly, and then leaned back against the packages, watching the sunset over the trees. Seemingly out of nowhere, Hojo appeared beside Kagome. She blinked at him, confused, and then her eyes hardened. "What do YOU want?" she asked scornfully.  
  
Hojo smiled at her pleasantly, annoyingly regular. He didn't even seem a little contrite about leaving her at the dance. "I came to check on you, Higurashi," he explained, sitting next to her. "I heard some man took you home last night, and I just wanted to make sure you were all right."  
  
She sat bolt upright, staring at him as if he had gone mad. "CHECK on me?" she repeated, her eyes glowing fire. "After you just LEFT me at the dance, you have the nerve to come back here and ask how I am?"  
  
Hojo's smile wilted a little, but he stood and held a hand out to her. "Please walk with me a moment," he said. "We should talk about this."  
  
Kagome blinked. She could have sworn his eyes had just glowed. Almost involuntarily, she raised her hand towards his, and then drew it back quickly, shaking her head. "No! I'm waiting for someone. He should be back any minute, and you should run while you still can. He's awfully strong, and is VERY angry with you for the way you treated me! Get out of here!"  
  
Hojo leaned down grabbed her arm tightly, lifted her up. He was still smiling annoyingly as she protested loudly, trying to wrench her arm back from him. "We need to talk about our future, Kagome," he said, pulling her towards him and pressing her against his chest.  
  
"We have no future!" she yelled, pushing against his chest. "Let me go!"  
  
He ignored her, and began pulling her towards the trees of the park. She struggled hard, surprised that she couldn't break his grasp. 'This isn't right', she thought to herself. 'Hojo doesn't feel right. He almost feels like. no, it couldn't be! I would have known!'  
  
Hojo smiled, turning to face her. His normally blue eyes had bled down to a deep red color, and his teeth sharpened slightly. "Actually, Kagome, years of hiding what I am has allowed me to cloak my demonic essence and appear as human as you."  
  
"Demonic?" she repeated, struggling harder now. "You're a demon!?"  
  
Hojo nodded and tugged her against his chest as they became lost in the trees. His face was sickeningly close to hers now, and her heart began to hammer. "W-What do you want?" she stammered.  
  
"I want you to be my mate, and find me the rest of the Shikon shards," he replied, lowering his face towards her. His lips pursed slightly, and Kagome closed her eyes tightly, screaming.  
  
"Get your dirty hands off my Kagome!!!!"  
  
Hojo stopped and glanced over his shoulder to behold a seething hanyou. Inu Yasha's hair was almost standing on end with his rage, Tetsusaiga already unsheathed and at its full growth. Inu Yasha's face was as dark as a cloud as he snarled, "Let go of my Kagome, or die."  
  
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~~Heeheehee.. I really need reviews on this. Hopefully you all like my continuation.~~ 


	6. Chapter Six

~~My god, could it be?!  IT IS!!  It's an update!!!!!!!

~~To my loyal readers, I present this final chapter to you.

~~***********************************************************~~

Hojo chuckled darkly at the enraged hanyou, pulling Kagome a little closer to his chest.  She gasped and tried vainly to push away from him, but his arms were like steel beams that held her in place.  Hojo's breath moved across the nape of her neck as he moved her in front of him, still holding her against his chest.  

Inuyasha tensed for a moment, his eyes narrowing even more.  "Using a woman as a shield. . . how like a snake," he snarled, baring his teeth.  "Only snakes and wolves are that cowardly."

Hojo went rigid beside Kagome, and his breathing quickened ever so slightly.  Still, he smiled at Inuyasha, although the smile was more plastered on his face now, more artificial.  He spoke between clenched teeth, only his lips moving.  "I am not a lowly snake, little dog," he growled, his lips curling back from his gums.  "I am a king among snakes, one of the most powerful ever to be born!  How else could I have survived so many years since my birth?"

Inuyasha snorted though his nose and brought up the Tetsusaiga.  "Feh, enough talking, reptile.  Let Kagome go and fight me like a man!"

Hojo's chest rumbled against Kagome's, and she suddenly realized that he was trying his best not to laugh.  "A man?" Hojo scoffed, "If I were to fight like a man, I would be human.  I am so much more pure than a human, more pure and powerful than a little puppy like you!  What can a hanyou do against me?  You are out of your league!"

Hojo flung out one hand almost casually and Inuyasha was thrown backwards in a surge of demonic energy.  He cried out for a moment, then twisted his body in midair and landed back in the gale of energy.  He shoved the Tetsusaiga into the ground to slow his skid but still ended up almost twenty feet away from where he had originally had stood.  The gale died around him, and he knelt behind the Tetsusaiga, breathing hard.

Hojo laughed and raised the hand again.  The demonic gale burst forth from his outstretched hand, and Inuyasha smirked, ducking behind his sword.  The wind parted around the blade like water around rocks, blowing down trees and sending park benches flying.  

"Is that all you've got, you snake?" Inuyasha yelled as he stood up to face the wind again.

Kagome's blood ran cold as she saw Hojo's lips curl into a sadistic smirk.  Inuyasha always made that smirk right before he killed his energy.  It was the smirk that knows when your enemy has made a fatal mistake.  "Inuyasha, run!" she screamed into the wind, reaching for him.

Inuyasha glanced over at her, unable to hear her words for the rushing winds, and started to reply when he felt two sharp pricks in his legs.  He cried out as identical pains shot up his legs, and he fell to his knees.  He held onto the Tetsusaiga for dear life now, trying not to be blown away by the demonic gale, and glanced back at his legs.  

His shocked face beheld twin cobras attached to his legs, pumping their venom into his veins.  He kicked weakly at them, but more cobras began popping up from the ground.  They seemed unaffected by the winds as they slithered up his body, sinking fangs into his torso and arms.  The venom coursed through his veins, already blurring his vision, but he still tried to shake them off until he finally fell.  His hands slipped from the hilt of Tetsusaiga, and the hanyou went flying into the gale.  The Tetsusaiga followed him, morphing back into its old rusted form as it plunged into the ground near an old park bench.

Hojo burst out laughing now, his mirth bouncing off Kagome's aura of shock and despair.  She stared, unable to move, as the gale became a sphere around Inuyasha, holding him in place as more and more snakes began to appear and cover him.  She could see him screaming, but the sounds were all ripped away by the churning winds.  He kept reaching for her, kept screaming her name, but she could not hear him.

Hojo's eyes had gone black and hard, and Kagome realized that she had never seen him blink.  _How could I have been so stupid? _she groaned in her mind.  _How could I have been so blind to the fact that he was a demon?  How could he lie to me all this time? _

The sheer audacity of someone she was friends with turning out to be a demon ignited a small flame in Kagome's heart.  As she watched Inuyasha's twitching body be covered with snakes, the flame grew to a white-hot blaze that reflected in her tear-filled eyes.  Several viens popped in her head as she pushed against Hojo's chest again.

_How DARE he lie to me all this time!  _She pushed harder, and felt the fire moving down her arms.

_How DARE he try to kidnap me!  _Hojo's laughter died, and he glanced down at her, wondering at the strange power he felt. 

_How DARE he hurt my Inuyasha!!  _With a cry of rage, she laid both of her palms flat against Hojo's chest and released that white-hot fire from her body.  Her own miko powers surged to the surface of her skin, leeching onto his chest as she screamed, wordless, in rage.  The fire poured over him, igniting his human-like skin with blue-white flames that danced along his arms and chest.  Hojo screamed and dropped her as his skin began to peel back from his body.  His clothes were incinerated, and he collapsed into a fiery heap, screaming in pain.

Kagome ignored him, running towards the sphere of demonic energy that had enveloped her hanyou.  His body had stopped twitching by now, and his body was lost in a sea of writhing snakes.  Several turned and hissed at her as she raised a hand to the swirling wind.  She screamed and jerked her arm back as the wind actually cut into the flesh of her hand.  She fell to her knees, screaming Inuyasha's name.  Tears, unbidden, began to fall from her eyes.

Inuyasha's nose twitched slightly as he took in a breath of air.  All around him, he could smell the leathery scent of the snakes, and the familiar scent of the wind.  His nose twitched again, and his pain-filled mind hesitated on a new, faint scent.  Under all the leather and the wind and the blood, Inuyasha's keen nose detected the faint scent of salty tears somewhere nearby.

_Tears. . . Kago. . .me's. . . tears. . ._

He groaned slightly, his eyes fluttering open.  The world, which had been a blissfully silent hum a moment ago, crashed in around Inuyasha's mind.  The sounds of the roaring wind and the soft sucking sounds of the snakes writhing around him assailed his poor ears, and the blood all around him clouded his eyes, but he heard only Kagome screaming his name, could only see her tear-streaked face.  Everything else was irrelevant.  Kagome was in pain, and he was just sitting here!  That was all that mattered to him.

"Kagome!" he yelled, his voice strong with his anxiety and fear for her.  "Kagome, get the Tetsusaiga!"

Kagome could see his lips moving, but the sound of the wind tore the words from his mouth and sent them spinning into oblivion instead of her ears.  However, the years of watching him talk and scream and yell were not wasted on Kagome.  She read his lips perfectly and knew what he wanted.  She was on her feet and running for the Tetsusaig before her mind even registered what she was doing.  Wrenching the blade from the ground, she whirled back to see Hojo standing between her and Inuyasha.

His skin was black and blistered from the fire, and his eyes glared at nothing but her.  She had looked into the souls of demons before, but Hojo's eyes were different.  He looked at her like Inuyasha looked at Naraku.  Inuyasha's eyes were fearsome things when looking at the one who had killed the woman he loved all that time ago.  His eyes saw only Naraku's death when he looked at the evil hanyou, and knew that Naraku would die by Inuyasha's hands.  The same look was in Hojo's eyes, and he was looking straight at her.

Kagome was frozen in place, her terror warring with her need to save Inuyasha.  Hojo took a step towards her, skin falling off his body in flakes.  She retreated a step, bile rising in her throat.

"I loved you, Kagome," Hojo hissed through strange, fleshless lips.  "I wanted us to be together forever, and hunt down the shards together.  We could have been so wonderful together.  But you had to choose this. . . this. . . _vermin_ over me!  How could you?"

Kagome's eyes hardened as she glared at her one-time suitor.  "My heart belongs to someone who is willing to protect it.  Protect it because he loves it, not because he has use for it!  I despise you!"

She raised the Tetsusaiga over her head as Hojo's body began to grow.  It seemed to break all the bones in his body, or make them evaporate.  His torso flattened and grew to almost ten feet long, his legs melding into his body to form a long cylinder.  His arms remained, keeping his body in a push-up position.  Kagome's eyes widened in fear and shock as Hojo reared up and his back split open and fanned out to form the cobra's hood around his head.  He hissed menacingly at Kagome, sporting fangs and a long tongue that flicked between the protruding fangs.  

Her breath came in small pants between her dry lips as she stared at the man she had once danced with.  It was almost too much for her mind to bear, but she could still see Inuyasha, imprisoned in the demonic energy, screaming her name behind Hojo.  Her eys narrowed as she set her jaw and stood ready.  "You want to kill me, scale-butt?  Come on, then!"

Inuyasha screamed as Hojo launched himself into the air, diving towards Kagome.  He kicked, bit, and scratched at the snakes that were surrounding him, furiously trying to get to Kagome to save her like he always did.  But he was too late, and the snakes were too numerous.  He watched, helplessly, as Hojo collided with Kagome, sending them both flying backwards.

Kagome felt the fangs bite into her shoulder, and felt the strong arms crush her against the scaly body.  Still, her mind focused on one solid movement of her arms.  She whipped the Tetsusaiga over Hojo's head, and sent it screaming towards the imprisoned hanyou.  The blade sliced through the winds and through the snakes to land almost perfectly within Inuyasha's reach.  

Inuyasha's fist closed around the hilt, sending the blade into its true form almost immediately.  As it grew, it slashed through the swirling winds, breaking the hold on him.  With another deft movement, he severed the heads of the snakes from their bodies and sent them tumbling down onto the soft ground.  He landed easily among them, shaking like the dog he was to clear the heads from his body.  

He was already charging towards Hojo when the snake lifted its head from Kagome's body, his lipless mouth red and dripping with her blood.  The sight of that and the two bleeding punctures in Kagome's chest sent Inuyasha over the edge into rage.  He leaped into the air, bringing the Tetsusaiga down towards Hojo's sluggish body. 

"KAZE NO KIZU!" he screamed, flinging out the power from his blade.

The power cleaved into Hojo's body, hacking it to pieces that dropped around Kagome's still form.  His hand landed near her, his eyes still wide with shock.  "Was this what she meant?  Was this the person she meant who would protect her heart?"

"I will protect everything about her," Inuyasha growled as he shoved the blade into Hojo's skull, killing him instantly.

Kagome smiled at him, a trickle of blood spilling from the side of her mouth, as he knelt beside her.  "Inuyasha," she murmured, "I knew you would get him."

Inuyasha grabbed her, moving the cloth of her tattered dress aside to see the wound.  The two bleeding puncture wounds on her chest were already beginning to turn yellow with the venom.  Unable to think of anything else, Inuyasha closed his mouth around the wound and sucked hard, letting the vile liquid spill into his mouth.  He spit several times, ignoring Kagome's feeble protests.  He finally covered her mouth with one hand to keep her from sitting him, and continued to suck out the poison.

Kagome's vision began to clear the longer Inuyasha sucked poison from the wound.  Her hand closed gently around his head, holding him against her.  He chuckled into her flesh as her drew away, spitting the last bit of poison onto the ground.  He wiped his mouth on his sleeve and closed his arms around her, rocking gently.  

"Next time we're in danger, please don't try to be me, Kagome," he murmured softly into her hair.  "Leave the heroics up to me."

She smiled softly as she laid her head against his chest.  "Then don't get caught next time, idiot," she whispered.

Inuyasha laughed as he lifted her up in his arms and leapt into the trees towards her house.  "Maybe you'll invite me to the next dance, Kagome.  Your choice in men is bad."

Kagome's eyes, which had been sliding closed, snapped open and she glared at Inuyasha as he ran along the tree branches.  "WHAT?  You idiot, my choice in men is just fine!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not, is not, is NOT!"

"Don't make me say it, Inuyasha!!!!!!"

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~~Wow, I finally updated!  About time, eh?  Well, it's all done now.  The story is finished, and I'm not going to make another chapter.  *waves goodbye as her story is lost in the myriad of other Inuyasha stories*

~~I hope you all have enjoyed this story, and will read more of my stories later.  Special thanks to all my reviewers and followers of this story and my authoress career!!


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